Pencil



J. P. LYNN PENCIL Filed Jan. 14, 1924 Y Sept. 18, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 `Patented Sept. 18, 1928 6-6 oflFig. 5;

UNITEDI STATES l 1,684,635 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN P. LYNN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To AUTOPOINT PRODUCTS COMPANY,

OI' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COBPORATIONOF ILLINOIS.-

Application tiled` January 14, 1924. Serial No. 685,942.

This invention relates to a pencil having a chambered body through which a lead 'is adapted to be advanced into position for writing, and more particularly to certain means for mechanically advancing the lead, as desired.

In a pencil of this general character, the present improvements have been incorporated, with the result that I have attained simplicity in construction and operation; a grip upon the lead -such as to prevent its retraction under pressure developed during writing; and a feed of reserve leads,- successively, contained within a magazine, into a guiding tube'which extends through to the tip end ofthe pencil. My invention is concerned with objects such as these, as well as with others, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing is shown an exempliication of my invention in the manner following:y v

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the lower or writing end of the pencil bod whereon is secured a rotatable tip throug which the lead is advanced into writing po- Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the reciprocable propelling parts as they appear when fully retracted;

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections taken respectively on lines 3 3 and 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the hollow tip detached from the pencil body, the'freely detachable operating parts being removed therefrom to better exhibit the construction of those remaining;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on line Fig. 7 is a detail in side elevation of the reci rocable member which is a component pf t e propelling illustrated in vthe preceding figures;

Fig. 8 which isa view similar to 1, shows a modified reciprocable memberw ich may be substituted for V'that illustrated elsey where;

Fig. 9 is a fra entary view in longitudinal section showgiiig a modified construction of lead engagingdevice forming part of the propelling mechanism; and

Fi 10 is a detail in perspective of the cam whic engages the lead, as elsewhere illustrated in Fig. 9. c

For the 'purposes of this invention 1t 1s deaxial bore 12. The chamber thus formed constitutes a magazine for reserve leads Dv whose lower ends are rested upon the inclined bottom, as shown in Figs. 1 land 2. Centrally of the magazine is an active lead E which ex- -tends'through a guide tube 13 that is slidablymounted in the bore 12, the lower or writing end 14 of the lead being exposed eX-= teriorly of the pointed end of the pencil tip.

As the lead becomes shortened with use, it may be moved in a downward direction by the, propelling means presently to be described, with the result that one of the reserve leads D should then take up a central position to succeed the active lead in its travel through the tip.

As shown, the lower end of the body is tapered as at 15 and upwardly of this tapered region is reduced or chambered for a short distance, as at 16. Also for accommodation of certain of the propelling parts, the lower body end is hollowed in the form of a chamber 17. With a pencil body thus formed, or

otherwise suitably constructed, I associate .the tip B having cylindrical walls 18 in its upper region of a size to be conveniently -iit-I ted u on the reduced portion v16. Below' the cylin rical portion of its walls the tip is tapered as at 19; clear to its lower extremty where one or more slits 20 may -be provid as shown. The resulting intervening seg` mental sections at the tip end will act to fricslipping through the tip.

The upper end-21 of the guide tube 13 is inwardl l beveled tofacilitate entering of the reserve eads D which follow the active lead member' 22 arranged for up and down move y tionally grip the lead and thus prevent its the tip. The parts just described-the reciprocable member 22, the pin 24 projecting therein fromthe body, and the key 26 extending from the tip into the slot 25-constitute a separate unit in the propelling mechanism. With rotation of the tip relative to the body, the reciprocable member will be caused to travel up and down, thereby reciprocating the upper end of the guide tube into the lower end of the magazine. The two extreme posi-4 tions of the parts just described are represented in Figs. 1 and 2.

The tube 13 continues downwardly below the reciprocable member so as to present its lower end within a friction sleeve 30 that is carried in the tip. This sleeve comprises upper and lower portions, the former having longitudinal slits 31 to provide between them segmental sections1 which frictionally but y yieldably engage a bushing 32. In this bushing are openings wherein are accommodated a lead engaging device such as a plurality of balls 33 -each of which extends in part within a slot 34 formed in the tube 13. The balls are accordingly permitted to engage frictionally for propelling purposes the active lead that is in the tube. Y

As best shown in Fig. 1, the upper portion of the ball bushing is disposed within a chamber 35' that is formed in the lower end of thev reciprocable member 22. The annular walls 35 surrounding this chamber are interiorly tapered as at 36' to exert a Wedge pressure I L against the balls with each downward movement of the reciprocable member. The result of this is to force the balls against the lead with a suiiicient lpressure to propel the same downwardly wit ciprocable member. When the mechanism is 1 j moved in an upward direction, the pressure upon the balls is released, due in part to the frictional ielding engagement of the spring sections o? the sleeve 30 with the ball bushing, this engagement acting as a drag upon the bushing which has a limited endwise movement upon the guide tube.

From the foregoing descri tion, the operation of advancing the lea should be apparent. Rotation of the tip through 180 will, with the cam groove 23 as shown,jact to move the reci rocable member Veither up or down. A furt er rotation of the tip through a like distance will cause the reciprocable member to be moved in the opposite direction.

With each upward movement, pressure upon the lead engaging balls is removed, but with downward movement these-devices are forced like movement of the re-` into propelling engagement with the lead. .As

long as the parts are related as shown in Fig. 1, this ball engagement with the lead will con-1 tinue so as to prevent retraction of the active lead should an undue endwise pressure develop in writing. If, however, the parts be moved to another position, such as is represented in Fig. 2, this pressure of the balls upon the lead will be released; The lead will then be permitted to retract within the pencil if a suiiicient endwise. pressure be applied for this purpose.

The construction shown anddescribed canl be variously modied in detail. For instance,

in Fig. 8, I have shown another form of reciprocable member 40 having screw threads 41 in its upper region to (so-operatey with threads 42 that are provided interiorly of the body chamber 17. I n all other respects the construction is the same, and its several parts are designated by reference numerals similar to those applied to the preceding iigures. In this modication, the tip may be rotated through several turns, during all of which the lead is caused to advance. When the member 40 has been rotated to the limit of its threads, a reversal of rotatidn, extending through a like number of turns, will act to restore the parts to their initial position. This construction is suggested as alternative of the one previously described, and differs therefrom only in the use of screw threads in lieu of a single cam groove.

Referring now -to Figs. 9 and 10, I have shown a further modification, in that lead engaging devices of a somewhat special formation are utilized in lace of the balls 33. These devices which r the reference numeral 45 are each formed withla concave lead engaging face 46, also with a pain of shoulders 47 adapted to rest adjacent the outer side of the bushing 32, and with a rounded back face 48 against which a wedge pressure is exerted by the tapered walls 35 at the lower end of the reciprocable member. Such devices may be used, if desired, in lieu of the balls elsewhere shown. Also it is possible to provide a .friction drag for the bushing somewhat diii'erent than that heretofore describedf In the construction shown of Fig. 9 I have represented the tip as carrying a washer. 50 adapted to engage frictionally with the busliing 32 wherein are formed slits 51 extending throughout its lower end to provide intervening spring sections wherewith the washer may engage. By means'such Aas this, which is suggested as `alternative ofthe construction s own in Figs. 1 and 2, a suiiicient drag is placed upon the bushing to ensure a release of pressure upon Athe lead engaging devices carried thereby with each upward movementv of the reciprocable member.

I wouldl have it noted that the propelling mechanism of my invention is such as to grip the lead at times and at other times to release the lead. Also with regard to the particular construction of the means which so engages the lead, I provide for a recurrent agitation within the lower end of the magazine such as to facilitate the successive guid- -ing into central position of the reserve leads which follow the active lead into position to be acted upon by the propelling mechanism. These features `of my invention, as Well as others which have been hereinbefore disclosed are susceptible of embodiment indifferent forms, all of which, as defined by the claims following, I shall deem to fall within the purview of this patent.

I claim:

1. A pencil having, in combination, a body wherein is formed a chamber for accommodating reserve leads, also an axial bore through which an active lead may be moved from the chamber through to the lower end of the body, a hollow tip rotatably connected withthe body, and means for propelling the active lead through the axial bore -and out through the tip with rotation ofthe latter relative to the body, said means including the body being formed with a reserve lead chamber having ai bottom which tapers toward the lead guiding means to facilitate lateral movement of a reserve lead into position for movement through .said guiding means, lead propelling mechanism connected for operatiodwith rotation of the tip relative to the body, and means associated with said mechanism extending at times -into the magazine and adapted to agitate the leads therein, substantially as described.

3. A pencil having, in combination, a body with which is associated a rotatable hollow tip, means within the tip for advancin a lead therethrough comprising a reciproca le lead gripping device, friction means engaging yieldingly with said device, and means operatively connected with both the body and tip adapted with rotation of one relative tok the other in a single direction to reciprocate said device and move the same .into lead gripping position, substantially as described.

4. A pencil having, in combination, a lead propelling mechanism, consisting of two relatively rotatable parts, a reciprocable member, and a reciprocable lead engaging device, the member being connected with the two rotatable parts in a manner to be reciprocated with movement thereof in a single direction,

and the lead engaging device having a sli connection with the member such that it 1s moved endwise with reciprocation thereof',

substantially as described.

JOHN P. LYNN. f 

